Sunday, June 23, 2013

Time flies when we're having fun....and I can't believe I've neglected my blog for two months! We had such an amazing time in Spain and then came home and got caught up in the world of reality and needless to say, I've had a hard time getting back to normal (whatever that is!).

Everyone I've talked to about my trip to Spain has asked about the Vaughantown experience and I wish I could capture it for you in words, but I can't. Not entirely. So much of what we experienced there was feelings - connections with others, Spaniards and Anglos, and the start of beautiful global friendships and for me personally, it was a life changing event. My local newspaper asked me to contribute an article about my experiences, so here it is. It's a bit lengthy, but I hope you enjoy and get a flavor for the time Tom and I spent in Spain.

“What does it mean to say, ‘you’re in the doghouse’,” Pilar
asked as we walked along a beautiful mountain trail in Rascafria, Spain.I thought about her question, frowning as I
considered how to explain this American phrase to the lovely Spanish woman from
Barcelona.I was in Spain participating in a volunteer
English language immersion program for Spanish adults with an organization
called Vaughantown.The program partners
native English speaking adults, (referred to as Anglos), from around the globe,
with Spaniards seeking to improve their English language skills.The Anglo volunteers travel to Spain at their
own expense, and spend six days in a remote location with the Spaniards, many
of whom are there for professional development, speaking and engaging together
all in English.Many people have asked
if I speak Spanish – the answer is no, not really. But that’s the beauty of Vaughantown - the
only rules of the week are, “No Spanish may be spoken”, and “have fun and learn
in English”.The goal of the program is
to help the Spaniards improve their English, which in turn will benefit them in
their personal and professional lives.

My husband, Tom, and I learned of this program last summer
and applied to participate. We were accepted to attend a session in May, 2013
and we began planning our Spanish adventure -- we would participate in
Vaughantown for one week and tour Southern Spain
the next week.We flew to Madrid and met up with
our group on a warm Sunday morning.There were 17 Anglos, including us, and we hailed from England, Wales,
Ireland, Australia, and the US.Some of the Anglos were repeat volunteers, having enjoyed their original
experiences so much.The 13 Spaniards
were from all across Spain
and the group included Lawyers, Engineers, Business Directors and University
Professors, all attending to expand their careersWe traveled two hours by bus to a Sheraton
hotel that was attached to a 700 year old functioning monastery.The hotel grounds border a natural park,
ringed by snow capped mountains and filled with winding nature trails that lead
to ponds, rivers, meadows and the rural village of Rascafria, two miles
away.This beautiful but remote location
would be our base for the week and we would spend each day immersed with one
another; talking, eating, working, and experiencing life together, all in the
English language.We boarded the bus as
strangers, but we ended the week as tight friends who will never forget one
another or the time we spent in the beautiful Spanish mountains.

Our days were full, beginning with a wakeup call at 8:15 and
ending with dinner at 9:00 pm.We ate
all of our meals together, and the tables in the large dining room were set for
four – two Anglos and two Spaniards at each.We were asked to “mix it up” during the week, sitting with new people at
each meal.Not only did this allow us to
get to know one another better, it also allowed the Spaniards the opportunity
to hear a variety of English accents and terms, helping them to become more
proficient at speaking English.During
our first couple of meals together, the conversations were fairly formal as we
became acquainted with one another and the Spaniards practiced their English,
but as the week progressed we all became friends and soon meals were a noisy
and busy affair, all of us eating, chatting and laughing amiably.After breakfast we would receive our schedule
for the day.Anglos and Spaniards were
partnered for 1:1 conversations and pairs rotated every hour.Lunch and siesta was from 2:00-5:00, and more
1:1’s or organized activities occurred between 5:00-8:50, ending with dinner
followed by free time.

The 1:1 times, when a Spaniard and Anglo were paired
together, created a unique learning opportunity for the Spanish, with the goal
of becoming comfortable speaking English in a casual and relaxed
environment.This was my favorite
activity – getting to spend time truly getting to know my Spanish partner.The first days we were new to each other and
sometimes unsure of what to discuss but as we walked on the lovely forest paths
or sat in the hotel courtyard sipping coffee, we would each become more relaxed
and soon, we were comfortably discussing a wide variety of topics.Evening activities were designed to stretch
the English comfort levels of the Spanish and often included organized skits or
plays.We all learned to overcome
shyness at performing in front of groups and we often ended the evening
practically in tears, laughing hard at each other’s antics.

As the week progressed I learned more and more about each
Spaniard’s life -- their interests, families, jobs and the culture of their
beautiful country.My respect for the
Spanish participants and my fellow Anglos grew immensely through our time
together.The hours were long and
difficult, but the Spaniards were dedicated to learning and as I watched their
confidence grow and English improve, I was glad to be a part of helping them
achieve their personal and professional goals.On the final day during the closing ceremonies, one Spaniard summed up
the experience for all of us.He stood
before the group and, speaking genuinely from his heart, he addressed the
Anglos.“Thank you for doing this.I don’t understand why you gave up your time
or came so far to help us learn, but I am glad that you did and we love you for
it."

When Vaughantown was over, Tom and I spent another week
touring southern Spain
but we never stopped talking about the things that had happened in Rascafria
and our new found friends.It was one of
the most unique and rewarding vacations we’ve ever taken and we are already
planning for when we can return to Spain and volunteer with
Vaughantown again.

About Me

My husband and I love to travel and explore the world. I believe that meeting new people and visiting new places has made me a better person. We are an ordinary couple of ordinary means. We work hard but we play hard, enjoying the fun and adventures that the world has to offer. I have learned to find travel bargains to support our habit and my goal is to assist others with the same interests. Join my blog to share my stories as I capture the highlights of our extraordinary travels. Look for my travel tips of the day and feel free to share some of yours!
Bon Voyage!